Rack or supporting structure



V June 29, 1943. "r. E. SHAW EIAL RACK 0R SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FiledOct. 21, 1941 SW w m? E E.

TT M1175 Patented June 29, 1943 I RACK OR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Thomas E.Shaw and Richard A. Shaw, Cranston,

R. 1., assignors to Stackbin Corporation, a corporation of Rhode IslandApplication October 21, 1941, Serial No. 415,914

'1 Claims.

This invention relates to a rack for storage receptacles of the typeused for the storage for rel atively small metal parts which are kept inboxes or bins.

Heretofore in the use of storage racks where rectangular boxes having abottom and opposite end and side walls with an open top were used, eachbox was pulled from its supporting structure like a drawer to provideaccess to the contents of the box. In other types of storage the box wasprovided with a hopper front or a front wall inclined with respect to avertical or at an angle to the bottom so as to provide access to the binthrough this inclined front. A box provided with such an inclined frontis more expensive to construct.

One of the objects of this invention is to utilize a rectangular boxhaving right angular opposite side and end Walls by so supporting itthat access may be had to the contents thereof through its open topwithout pulling the box as a drawer from its supporting structure.

Another object of this invention is to utilize the supporting structureto provide a change in the supportingstructure rather than in the box toafford access to the contents of the box.

Another object of the invention is to so arrange the supportingstructure and the box supported thereby that there will be a nesting ofthe units one within the other as they are vertically superimposed oneon the other.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and.

particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 1

extending upwardly at right angles to the bottom wall whil leaving thetop open. Certain reinnrcements of this box to provide the requiredstrength formed in a customary manner. In utilizing this box we providea framework in unit form so that sections may be added or subtractedfrom the entire arrangement. with each of these units arranged toreceive one box. The unit is similar to that now utilized in Patent No.2,046,095 with which we are familiar, but instead of supporting the boxon, a horizontal slide or base the box is inclined by suitable incliningmeans so as to tip the box up to provide access through the forward endwhile causing the contents to slide to this forward end for removal. Thebox protrudes beyond the front of the frame and also above the top ofthe frame, protruding upwardly and nesting within the superimposed framefor compact storage.

With reference to the drawing, each of the units consists ofv a basedesignated generally Ill and consisting of laterally extending channelirons l I at the front and I2 atthe rear which are joined together bylongitudinally extending channel irons I3 at one side and I4 at theother side. This is one convenient formation of the base for the unitwhich may be suitably strengthened such for instance as by the backplate I5 extending across the channel iron I2 and the inwardly bentportions I6 of the ends of the channel irons I3 and I4. A supportingframe superstructure I'I extends upwardly from the base which consistsof U-shaped members designated generally I8 at the front and rear of theunit, each providing an upperjtop bridging bar H) with depending legportions 29 all of channel shape formation with the legs held securelyin notches in the channel irons I3 and I4 as shown in Fig. 2.

Within the skeleton structure described we provide receptacle supportingmeans in the form of angle iron supports or bars 2| having a verticallyextending portion 22 and a laterally extending portion 23. These barsengage the front cross bar of the base I I and are inclined upwardly andsecured at 24, along the leg 20 of the U-shaped superstructure justdescribed. The vertically ex tending wall of the supporting bar isturned inwardly as at 25 to provide a stop so that when the boxdesignated generally 26 is supported thereon it will not slide out ofthe frame.

The units may be superimposed one of the othor by reason of the crossbars II and I2 being of a width to receive the top bars I9 of thesuperstructure. A lip 21 extends inwardly from the strengthening backwall l5 so as to lock beneath the cross bar IQ of the rear U-shapedsuperstructure of the frame (see Fig. 3). The channel II is such toreceive the cross bar I9 of the forward U-shaped superstructure asindicated in Fig. 3. The box 26 consists of bottom wall 28 and walls 29and 30 extending forward- 22 of the inclined supporting structure 2| andof a height a little less than the distance between the box and the barIQ of the superstructure. Thus when the box is supported on the inclinedsupport 2| its forward end portion 33 will project beyond the plane ofthe forward superstructure I 3 as shown in Fig. 3 affording accessthrough its open top to the contents within the box. The inclination ofthe box is such that bolts or such contained articles will slide forwardly to the forward end of the box so as to be accessible for takingfrom the box. The rear portion 33 of the box will project upwardlythrough the skeleton unit to be above the superstructure frame I8 butthis will be at such a location with reference to the superimposed unitas to project into the skeleton work base in the space beneath itsinclined support and the base and thus Will nest therein so that acompact arrangement of the box may be had.

We claim:

1. A storage rack comprising individual unit sections of skeletonformation assembled one on top of another, each section comprising abase portion consisting of front and rear channel form plates, front andrear frame sections generally U-shaped and with the end extremity of thesides thereof resting on said plates, side plates on each side of saidframe sections and extending from the front to the rear section andsecured to the lower end portion of the sides thereof, and angular formsupports resting on the front channel plate and extending therefromupwardly toward the rear section and secured to the sides thereof and tothe side plates at the front lower end portion of said angular supports.

2. A storage rack comprising individual unit sections of skeletonformation assembled one on top of another, each section comprising abase portion consisting of front and rear channel form plates, front andrear frame sections erally U-shaped and with the end extremity of thesides thereof resting on said plates, side plates on each side of saidframe sections and extending from the front to the rear section andsecured to the lower end portion of the sides thereof, and angular formsupports resting on the front channel plate and extending therefromupwardly toward the rear section and secured to the sides thereof and tothe side plates at the front lower end portion of said angular supports,and a stop at the front end extremity of said supports.

3. In a storage rack, a unit comprising a framework of skeletonformation comprising a base having front and rear channel platesextending transversely of the unit, spaced upright supports resting onsaid channel plates with the upper end portion of said upright supportsreceived within the channel of the superimposed unit and there locked inposition, spaced supporting bars in said unit resting on the said frontplate and inclined upwardly therefrom and secured to the upright supportextending from said rear plate, and a rectangular box open at the topand having a bottom with opposite side and end walls on said inclinedsupport bars with the lower portion of said box projecting through andforward of said superstructure to provide access through its open topforward of the unit to the contents thereof.

4. In a storage rack, a unit comprising a framework of skeletonformation comprising a base having front and rear channel platesextending transversely of the unit, spaced upright supports resting onsaid channel plates with the upper end portion of said upright supportsreceived within the channel of the superimposed unit and there locked inposition, spaced supporting bars resting on the said front plate andinclined upwardly therefrom and secured to said upright supportextending from said rear plate and a rectangular box open at the top andhaving a bottom with opposite side and end walls on said inclinedsupporting bars with. the lower portion of said box projecting throughand forward of said superstructure to provide access through its opentop forward of the unit to the contents thereof the rear portion of thebox projecting above the unit and through the bottom of a unit above andinto the space below the supporting means in the superimposed unit.

THOMAS E. SHAW. RICHARD A. SHAW.

